NEW YORK – Aryna Sabalenka bought the revenge she craved on Friday by defeating Leylah Fernandez 6-3 7-6(2) to erase the sting of her 2021 US Open semi-final upset and preserve her dream alive of profitable back-to-back Flushing Meadows titles.
The world primary had been ready 4 years to settle the rating with the Canadian, who shocked her in straight units en path to the 2021 remaining of their solely earlier assembly.
“I actually wished this revenge,” three-times Grand Slam champion Sabalenka stated in her on-court interview after profitable the third-round match. “I am very proud of the win.”
The match started ominously for Sabalenka although, as Fernandez earned a number of break factors in a marathon opening recreation on Louis Armstrong Stadium, however the Belarusian’s resilience shone by means of as she saved all of them earlier than finally holding serve.
That early take a look at appeared to settle the 27-year-old, who broke Fernandez’s serve within the fourth recreation of the opening set when her opponent double-faulted on break level.
Sabalenka by no means appeared again, dealing with just one extra break level within the match, which she snuffed out with a service winner.
Nonetheless, the second set proved way more aggressive, with each gamers buying and selling holds till the tiebreak, the place Sabalenka’s expertise informed as she raced to a 6-1 lead earlier than sealing victory with a forehand winner.
The Belarusian prolonged her file in tiebreaks this season to twenty wins and one loss.
“Typically in the course of the set I am doubting my selections, and once I get to the tiebreak, I do know that there isn’t any time for doubts, and I simply should go for my pictures and I’ve to belief my recreation,” she stated.
“I am reminding myself that I’ve to belief. I’ve a fairly good feeling, I do know what to do on courtroom, and I am attempting to … keep aggressive and put as a lot stress as I can on my opponent.”
The victory extends Sabalenka’s excellent U.S. Open third-round file to 6-0 and strikes her inside 4 victories of matching Serena Williams’ feat of consecutive U.S. Open titles, achieved greater than a decade in the past.
‘NO PRESSURE’
The Belarusian had heat phrases for Fernandez, acknowledging the standard of her opponent’s tennis that made victory removed from simple.
“She’s undoubtedly a troublesome opponent. I can see she’s working arduous. She’s enhancing. She performed unimaginable tennis at this time,” Sabalenka stated.
“I feel it was just some factors in every set that determined the outcome.”
Trying again at their 2021 encounter, Sabalenka stated: “It was a troublesome lesson for me again then. Since then, we by no means performed once more.
“I simply wished to show to myself that the lesson was realized and that I developed as a participant and, yeah, I might get this win.”
There was additionally an sudden romantic interlude halfway by means of the match when a wedding proposal unfolded within the stands.
“I feel it is the primary time that somebody proposed throughout my match,” Sabalenka smiled.
“It was a really candy second. I used to be simply attempting to not begin smiling, as a result of it’s totally cute.. I used to be simply attempting to maintain specializing in my recreation. It was nice second… I want them a cheerful marriage.”
Requested if there is perhaps marriage ceremony bells quickly in her personal future, the world primary stayed tight-lipped.
“I do not need this sort of proposal,” she stated. “However I checked out my boyfriend. Yeah. No stress.”
—Reuters
